O'Maley Family Focus
Updates from Principal Lynne Beattie - January 25, 2021
Tuesday, January 26th is an early release day. Dismissal is at 11:15 a.m. for all students.
Hello, O'Maley Families!
I hope you had a wonderful weekend! I have a few items to share with you as we head into the week.
I want to remind parents (and students) that grades and report cards may be accessed through the Schoolbrains Community Portal. While teachers do notify families about missing and late work if it starts to accumulate, the portal is there at any time for you to check in on your child's progress. Please check in frequently, and if you have questions about work that is not yet viewing as complete, email your child's teacher. It's especially important to review your child's report card at the end of each term. Information about using the portal is included in this newsletter - please scroll down. Grades close for Term 2 on February 3rd. Please check with teachers about deadlines for missing work, as they need varied amounts of time to correct assignments depending on length.
Attendance can be a challenge for middle schoolers, and especially during the pandemic it can be difficult for our students to get or stay motivated. We are noticing especially that remote classes and/or the afternoon (asynchronous) assignments have a much lower participation rate than is needed for kids to process and internalize the information they are being taught. While some students buckle down, and are able to complete most or all of their afternoon assignments during the school day, this is not the case for most students. Don't hesitate to ask your child to show you his/her Google Classroom assignments AND their completed products. Engage in conversations about the quality of work, and about setting goals to improve with their work habits if they are not keeping up. Teachers are available for extra help on a rotating basis after school and are very happy to answer questions or to consult with you about how to help your learner do their best work and meet with success.
A few other items are below. Please read on, and as always, reach out with questions or comments any time!
Best,
Principal Lynne Beattie
O'Maley Spirit Wear Available Now!
3-D Printing in Investigations in Science
No Parking on Cherry Street
While there is often a line at both arrival and dismissal, it moves quickly. Please be patient and use the provided drop off and pick up areas.
Thanks!
Flu Vaccine Requirement Canceled
Check your family daily for COVID-19 symptoms
As we try to minimize Covid-19 in our community and our schools it is essential that parents/guardians communicate with school if their child is out, sharing the details of why you are keeping your child home.
Below is the full list of symptoms for which caregivers should monitor their children:
Fever (100° Fahrenheit or higher), chills, or shaking chills
Cough (not due to other known cause, such as chronic cough)
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Headache when in combination with other symptoms
Muscle aches or body aches
Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
Fatigue, when in combination with other symptoms
Nasal congestion or runny nose (not due to other known causes, such as allergies) when in combination with other symptoms
SAILS Council Upcoming Events
January 29 - Out of this World Day (aliens, astronauts, moon, stars, etc)
February 5 - Favorite Memes
February 12 - Twin Day, Homeroom Style - the entire homeroom dresses like each other or a theme
February 26 - Welcome to the Jungle Day - Jungle animals, explorers, flora and fauna
In other news from the Council:
- Flip the Teacher Day, February 9th: During SAILS Home Base up to four students can present/teach for 15 minutes each. If there's a resounding response, we'll add a second round in a couple of months.
- Snowperson contest - The next sticky snowstorm everyone is encouraged to make a snow person and take pictures. We will have a contest!
- Virtual Talent Show - Planning for February 24th using a similar format as the spring.
Even if you do not have a SAILS Council member in your family, there is representation from each homeroom, so encourage your students to share their ideas with reps.
Next Virtual PTO Meeting Thursday February 25th at 6:00 pm
Remember to Use the Schoolbrains Community Portal to Check Grades and View Report Cards
The link for the portal is below and is also on the O'Maley and GPS websites. Term 1 report cards are still viewable. Term 2 closes February 3rd. Grades for Term 2 will be posted the following week.
Teachers are required to update the portal within two weeks of an assignment's due date; most do it much sooner. Please remember that grades must be transferred from Google Classroom to the portal manually, so there may be a difference in what you view in each venue.
To access, link to the resources below:
SchoolBrains Community Portal Link
Viewing Report Cards on SchoolBrains
SchoolBrains How-to Guide Including Report Card Viewing Information
All Students Must Wear Masks to School.
Contact Information
Email: lbeattie@gloucesterschools.com
Website: http://omaley.gloucesterschools.com
Location: 32 Cherry Street, Gloucester, MA, USA
Phone: 978-281-9850
Twitter: @omaleyprincipal
Archived O'Maley Family Focus
January 25, 2021 | January 17, 2021 | November 23, 2020 | October 26, 2020 | October 2, 2020 | September 22, 2020 | September 12, 2020 | September 4, 2020 | June 18, 2020 | June 12, 2020 | June 5, 2020 | May 29, 2020 | May 22, 2020 | May 15, 2020 | May 8, 2020 | May 3, 2020 | April 26, 2020 | April 19, 2020 | April 12, 2020 | March 30, 2020